When looking at buying a car what all do you look at?

I start by listing my needs, then finding a car that meets (but does not greatly exceed) those needs. If I know I will be doing most of my traveling in the city, I look for a car that has better city mileage, and would even consider a low range electric vehicle. I take into consideration the brand and the manufacturer, and read reviews of both. I look into the history of the car brand as well as seeing if it’s a car that is commonly stolen. I also look at the features, certain features are necessary (PW, PS, PB) and certain are optional (cruise control).

Are you buying new, or used? Buying used comes with a whole new set of things to check for. Buying new? I never found a new car worthy of buying. Sorry, but that’s the truth for me.

Me…personally…? A full power package. The color, cup holders, and whether or not it has seat heaters. :)

MPGs and reliability are important to me, since I drive 30,000+ miles per year.

Since my son is older and has his own transportation, I was OK with something small, because I knew I’d be alone in the car most of the time, and rarely have much cargo.

I really enjoy driving, so I also wanted a car that had a good 6-speed manual, excellent torque and tight handling.

Since I’m in my car so much, a sunroof is a must, and I’d have to be really strapped for cash to sacrifice heated seats. I also wanted bluetooth and iPod integration for my iPhone.

I got a Mini Cooper S almost a year ago, and I love it.

I look for safety and reliability also, I want the best chance to survive an accident and I don’t want to pay alot in extra maintenance, especially since I plan on keeping the car for more than the average consumer.

After that I consider specific features, I absolutely have to have air conditioning. My next car will have dual climate control because me and my hubby can not agree on temperature at all.

Just remember to stick with your price range, it’s easy to say, oh I’ll just pay a little bit more, but if you are persistant you can find a decent car in your price range.

I look first for safety. Then, mileage. And then (perhaps too late) comfort.

The floor pan on the driver’s side. If there are fewer than 3 pedals, I pass it by. Regrettably, there are fewer and fewer cars being offered with manual transmissions these days; just economy and sport models for the most part. However, some makers have responded by making practical versions of their sports cars; for example, you can get a Subaru STI as a wagon now.

Beyond that, the number one criterion is dependability. I read Consumer Reports for reliability data on a particular model I’m interested in. I want a car I can keep 8 to 10 years, so I also look at the numbers of older models still on the roads.

Finally, the car has to fit me. I’m a big guy, so if I bang my head on the door sill getting in or out, I look at something else.

I just bought a used vehicle (a 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander) so I just went through the whole fact-finding process.

Tops for me- I needed a vehicle that could haul hay bales (I raise goats) and the like, so I needed a small pickup (my last vehicle was a Toyota Tacoma) or a small SUV. We will be moving to WA during the lifetime of this car as well, so I need it to handle well in the rain/snow.So the factors I looked at were:
– Reliablity
– Safety
– Avalability of 4WD/AWD
– Fuel economy
– Price
– Handling qualities
– Visibility
– “Extras” like navigation and stereo system.

My shortlist was the Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4, Mitsubishi Outlander and Honda CR-V. The Forester was out because it doesn’t have standard electronic stability control (a must in a safe SUV). After a lot of research, I chose the Outlander- the safest vehicle in its class, the first 6-cylinder SUV in the US with a PZEV emissions rating, good mileage, on-demand AWD, and lots of cool gizmos (my car has nav, a music server, Rockford-Fosgate stereo, sunroof, etc. etc.)

1. Air condition. No, really.
2. Safety. I generally prefer German cars.
3. Space. I tend to carry a lot of things around, but also prefer cars to be smooth, so I go after station wagons (bought 3 in the last year somehow).
4. Price. Well, in a way that’s #1, because if I can’t afford it, I jut won’t buy it. But if the car I want costs 20% more than something almost as good, I’d consider buying the cheaper model (though I regretted that logic with my last car).
5. Extras such as CD player, space for my CDs or my papers, comfortable seats, all that.

My only hard core requirements are reliability and gas millage.

Speed.

I just bought a car day before yesterday.
Last week I was in an accident in my old car and, even though I totaled t, I walked away without a scratch.
Since the car was so safe, I wanted to get the same kind as safety is a priority for me.
The old car was BMW, the 5 series. The new one is a BMW, 330ci.

On used cars:
1.) Mileage.
2.) Maintenance: Check the user’s manual—- there is usually a blank form in the manual reserved for entering in scheduled maintenance for the lifetime of the car, and a guideline of what parts need to be replaced and when (batteries, timing belts, etc). Sometimes, people actually fill these out! Sometimes too, the person just took it in to the dealership for each bit of maintenance, so the dealership has a record. This is awesome when it actually happens. That, however, is rare.
3.) Look Under the Hood. Is the battery hidden under a pile of corrosion? Does it look like someone has tampered with the wiring, added their own components, etc? Or does it look like the picture in the owner’s manual, nothing out of place? No cracked tubes, no burned oil on the surfaces?
4.) Accident History. You will want to know if there might be structural weaknesses in the frame of the car. Fender-benders are one thing, usually mild and unimportant. But if the frame/body was damaged, and it isn’t obvious, that means upon greater impact the car may crumple oddly, not as designed! Modern cars are designed to distribute force in a specific pattern through the frame of the car that is safest for the driver and passengers. If the frame is already damaged, it could be even more unsafe in a wreck. I found this out the hard way.

Got more… customer just walked in the door. Sigh. Anywyays..

Here are some things I look at beyond all the items already mentioned:
If is new: I look for the highest American made content and nearest dealership.
If used: I look underneath for rusted brake, fuel, transmission lines and floor pan.
If the used car is a Honda I make sure the timing chain was replaced at the scheduled time. It is expensive required maintenance but absolutely necessary.
Among my “fleet”, I have a Chevy Venture with the 3800 engine. I can put 4×8 sheets of plywood inside flat on the floor. My motorcycle can roll right up inside, and I can haul wood, furniture, and even camp in it worrying about rain.. Put the seats inside and it hauls 7 people in comfort while getting 26 mpg. I love it!
Guys, in this economy, “Practicality” is the new chick magnet. Women have figured out that dating a “Fast and Furious” type leads to a fast and furious relationship.

Reliability, which to me translates to a Jaoanese car. Sometimes I deviate from this for my husband, or because I think a car is just so cute like the Audi TT I had for a few years, and every time we have a non-japanese car there is some sort of problem with the car. Many times very small problems that the dealer will fix under warranty, but still have to bring it in to get it fixed, which I find annoying. I know one day I will buy a Japanese car that is a lemon just so I have to eat my words but I have owned, Hondas, Nissan’s, Audi’s, Porsche’s, Mazda’s, Saab, Acura, Dodge all purchased new from the dealer. I went to school in MI and they were not happy with my loyalty to Japanese cars :).

Many times I look for a convertable.

I hate wood trim, but have lived with it in the past.

If it is manual I make sure I can get the clutch all the way in without having to be ridiculously close to the steering wheel.

If it is a sedan I really like when the back seats can fold down to make the trunk space larger, it is annoying to me that some cars don’t have that. And, I prefer sedans.

I don’t like that one big button in the middle of the dash that I have seen on some cars lately.

My Maxima had a heated steering wheel, that was AWESOME. Better than heated seats.

Good thust to weight ratio.

Quick but linear responses.

Balanced handling.

Good roadholding.

Driver oriented, direct and communicative controls, seating position, visiblity, and ergonomics.

A true maunal gearbox.

Mileage, wear on tire treads, overall condition of body panels (Stay away from rust), also, be sure to watch for extreme amounts of rust and damage under the car and to the carpet, as well as for electrical failures and such, because this would point to possible water damage. Don’t touch a car with water damage with a ten foot pole.